Noir Chronicles: Kaine
by Creager
Summary: After all her friends' Markings, she finds herself anticipating her Marking, but has she been waiting longer? Were there signs that drove her towards this future? REWRITING for literary improvement all around.
1. Expected Marks

**Hey humanoids! So, this is a rewrite of my first ever completed story. I like the original, but so far I love this new version. If you read the original, great just a warning though, it's basically the same plot just better written, with a few different characters, and much more dramatized. If you haven't read it, just please give Xia a chance. Also, just a fair warning, I never finished reading the series, stopped at the beginning of Tempted, so please don't tell me I have some flaw in the world. I was never much a fan of the Cast's characters or plot, but the world, their mythology still has my heart which is why I originally created this story. Wow this A/N is getting long, I'll talk at more after the chapter.  
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Things change; they change all the time. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, and maybe life just becomes different. It's hard to tell which until you're living in a back alley or are on national TV.

But then of course there are those to whom the Fates are simply cunts. Kaine Macabre didn't know it, but she was one of these unlucky sons of bitches.

While she was sitting in class texting her recently Marked friends, she wasn't even this Kaine person. She was just some simple girl with short ruddy brown hair and bright green eyes that missed her friends. The only thing she had hinting to her that her life was going to change was the fact that her friends were different. And she had to be next.

Circe and Cleo were first, almost two months prior. One only a few days after the other. Then Eden and Tilla, last month. Yesterday, yesterday, her best friend Kimi had become a Vampyre fledgling. They were paired up right? Vampyres were all about fate and stuff.

The next day she had her answer. As she stood at the gates of the Baltimore House of Night, she took a deep breath and reached a hand up to touch the new sapphire crescent on her forehead with a smile. She'd only been Marked long enough to pack a bag and drive down there from Pennsylvania, and looking into the sun-lit grounds she felt at home.

The feeling grew as she walked through the gates onto the unfamiliar grounds, trying to find where to go, along the garden lines paths and past modern style buildings. Before she got too far, she was intercepted by a tall woman with long blonde curls and warm brown eyes. She smiled at the young girl as she smoothed out her long, tight black dress; her other hand to move her bangs from her filled in crescent surrounded by delicate but simple spirals.

"Hello, you must be the new arrival. I'm Anmarie Rumsfeld , the High Priestess of this House of Night."

Kaine smiled back shakily and nodded, she was always a little uncomfortable with authority figures despite her outward brazen mannerisms. "Yeah… It's nice to meet you."

Nodding, Anmarie turned slightly. "Let's get out of this sun." The young girl nodded again also.

They came up on what the fledging assumed was the temple and she frowned, the sense of home fading away. Her eyes were heavy as she stared at the statue in the center of the space.

"That's Nyx… Our goddess, the goddess of night."

"Yeah… I know. There's just something..."

Anmarie laughed, and it was obvious that the priestess misinterpreted what that something was in the fledging's mind was. "She is your Goddess now; many fledglings have felt drawn to images of her."

Then, the High Priestess headed upstairs and Kaine followed her into an office. The Vampyre sat behind the desk and held out a folder and a small book. Kaine took them and sat across from her.

"Do you want to change name, first off, Brittany?"

She smiled and nodded; she'd been thinking of this since Circe got Marked. "Kaine Macabre."

Shrugging, Anmarie jotted it down. "Alright, the book i-…"

"The fledgling handbook, and there's probably my schedule and things in the folder."

"Right, you're from there…" She didn't look happy about the anomaly that was her and her friends. It didn't take a genius to figure out their situation wasn't average.

"Yeah… A-Am I rooming with Kimi?" She needed to room with Kimi-Kimi, they were basically twins.

Anmarie nodded. "Yes, she's the only other person without a roommate currently. She hasn't gotten her bearings yet either, so after dusk, my warrior and I will give the pair of you a tour around campus." Then she got up and motioned for Kaine to follow her.

When Kaine entered the dorm room, she saw the dirty blond puff of one of her best friends sitting at the desk, absently paging through her own copy of the handbook. She looked up and her eyes locked onto Kaine's.

"Hey Kimi," She smiled at her friend as the slightly older girl got up and hugged her tightly.

"I knew I'd be seeing you soon!" Kimi squealed. "You change your name?"

"Yep, Kaine. We're going to room together."

She smiled brighter, looking to the priestess for confirmation.

"I'll let you two alone. I'll see you both at sundown." Then the adult Vampyre left.

Kimi pushed Kaine onto the bed and sat next to her. "Want to wake up the rest and show off?"

Kaine shook her head. "Let them sleep, I want to absolutely freak them out when they randomly see me around."

Sneering, the blonde nodded. "You're so evil sissy."

As they talked, Kimi talking about the things she'd noticed since getting there and more detail of how everyone else was, since communication was lessened once each of them got there, Kaine felt less and less secure about how she felt while in the temple. She just kept smiling and putting her clothes away and unearthing her "uniform" with the third former insignia.

Cleo had gotten herself a familiar, an orange tabby male named Kyo, and Circe had bought a Chinchilla named Humphrey at a pet store. Tilla was in love with the Moon Goddess worship, having been a Wiccan before becoming a fledgling, but Eden wasn't in the best health recently (not that she had ever been). Kimi herself hadn't been there long enough to really feel anything, but was in general comfortable, especially knowing her home life wasn't ideal.

Kaine just smiled and nodded. "Anything else special?"

Kimi thought for a while. "Oh, yeah, apparently, Cleo and Circe both got infinities at the second ritual or something."

"Affinities. Which elements?"

"Not sure, you'll have to ask them when you see them."

Finally dusk came around and both girls headed out, making their way to the temple. Anmarie was up in her office, with a very muscular man with very short brown hair and almost yellow eyes with what looked to be the muscles of the face in blue coming from his Mark. Kaine assumed that this was the priestess's warrior.

"Kaine, this is Andus. He teaches several classes here and is in charge of security." Kaine smiled and nodded.

Then they started the tour. Anmarie breezed through the main building, motioning to the separate wings and saying the numbering system was pretty simplistic. She pointed to the cafeteria, mentioning some of its specialties. The boys' and professors' dorms, the infirmary and morgue, most of the gyms were grouped together and connected but she mentioned which was for which. It wasn't a particularly long tour, but just long enough to miss breakfast.

**Please review. If you hated it, be constructive. If you loved it, be constructive. If you're comparing it to the original, be constructive. Also be coherent. Just review, please? I have the next two and a half chapters finished, but I'll make you wait. If there's anyone here .**


	2. Old Friends

The two fledglings ate breakfast alone in the large cafeteria; they didn't talk except on the way to their first ever classes in the House of Night. Tuesday, all day. Kaine knew Kimi's class was closer to the entrance, and hated her for it. She could see Tilla in there too, for which she hated her more.

When she walked into her history class, half way through, she nodded at the teacher, trying not to make eye contact as she made her way to the only empty seat next to an awkward looking kid.

"Hey… uh…"

"You're new." He whispered, practically inaudibly. Then he pushed his book towards her and she smiled and nodded in thanks. After class, he bolted without his book and Kaine sighed. She went up to the teacher, talking to her shortly about how classes work. Complicated apparently, because the petite blonde woman just sassed her and told her not to be late to her next class.

Kaine peered into the writing classroom and smiled brightly, seeing her short, Jew-fro-ed friend sitting near the back attempting to balance a pencil on her top lip. She came in with a crowd of other students and sat next to the pale girl.

"You're mature, right?" Our heroine didn't look at her friend until she heard the squeal of surprise and happiness. "Hey, think you'd get rid of me that easily?"

Eden smirked, hitting Kaine lightly. "Nah, figured you'd show your face around if you had to draw the damned thing on your forehead. You didn't, did you?"

Chuckling, she ruffled the large dark mess of hair. "Come on, give me some credit, I'm not quite that codependent on you asshats."

"Who else knows you're here? One of us?"

"Kimi, and now you." She smirked. "Don't think it's because you're special. We just happened to have this class together."

"Nah, pretty sure I'm special."

"Right." Then she sighed, eyeing the slightly younger girl. "Kimi told me you're not doing so hot?"

"Damn that girl." Eden scoffed. "I'm _fine._ I'm just not all 'yay suddenly blood sucking immortals', you know? It's a difficult situation to adjust to, alright?"

Kaine held her hands up defensively. "Woah there tiger. Just asking. Thought you'd be the person to talk to about something."

She scoffed again. "You've been here less than twelve hours girlie, give it some time at least. In a month when things still suck, we'll talk."

"Things suck?"

"Well, not the food, but a lot of _things _do."

Kaine raised her eyebrows then chuckled in realization. "Ah, well, I hope to stay away from most of those."

Then the professor finally walked in and the two were forced to stop conversing. On their way out later Eden asked her where she was heading. The answer was music and Eden's face lit up; apparently Circe and Tilla would be the next ones getting a shock. They got to class before the other two and they discussed how to surprise them, with glee.

Eden went in first and was very nonchalant as she conversed with them. Kaine watched very covertly from the window in the door until the teacher was starting class. Then she put a stricken look on her face and barged in. The teacher glared at her.

"Sorry, first day, lost." She smiled sheepishly. Circe and Tilla jumped, yelling her human name. She turned to them and winked. They both corrected themselves, as they had all been talking about name changes since Cleo and Circe were Marked. Then she smiled at the prof and apologized to him again, taking a seat next to her oldest friend who hugged her tightly.

"I missed you so much! When'd you get it?" Circe smiled at her like a child at Christmas, her hazel eyes boring into Kaine's face as she waited for an answer. Her blonde hair was up in a messy bun with chopstick and Kaine tried to keep herself from taking them out.

"This morning, during English."

Tilla smirked, climbing over Eden to join the conversation. "I bet Chaplin was flipping shit." The girl's silver-blue eyes sparkled at her expectantly, though one was covered by her long brunette side bangs.

"Nope, totally expecting it. She just rolled her eyes and told me to get a move on when she saw the tracker."

They both chuckled and were shushed by the prof, the four laughed harder, but settled down, though they exchanged glances and giggles throughout class. After that class, Tilla and Kaine parted from the rest of the group to go to class together.

"So, okay, the rest of the asshats don't understand, but this is totally awesome! Like did you see Circe's cross? She's still wearing it, like, hello, we have a moon goddess now." Tilla ranted. "But still love her, y'know?"

Kaine rolled her eyes, Circe had always been very religious so it wasn't surprising to her that the girl was having trouble converting. "I'm excited. Do I look like I'm not?"

Tilla stopped and appraised her. "You don't. But you_ could _look more excited."

Rolling her eyes again as Tilla turned back around too quickly, falling on her face. She helped her up, chuckling a bit. "Well, aren't fledglings supposed to be a little more graceful than humans?"

"I didn't, like, injure myself majorly?" Then they both laughed, continuing the walk to class.

They caught up with the rest of the group at lunch, where Kaine saw the last member of the group. Cleo was talking with a boy with a fifth former insignia on his jacket; she kept twirling her long brown hair around her finger and her brown eyes looked into his flirtatiously. Kaine raised her eyebrows at Tilla, expecting some explanation. Tilla shrugged and went to the food line.

Tilla explained that the boy's name was Matt, and he and Cleo had been getting close. As far as she knew, he was a warrior in training and was sort of an asshole; it was almost impossible to speak to Cleo while he was around. Thankfully, the arrival of the last of their group was enough for her to say a few sentences.

"Kaine! You're here!" Cleo smiled at her when she sat across from her. "I'm so glad you're here!"

Tilla and Eden rolled their eyes, but Kaine smiled at her. "Me too, I missed you all so much. I'm also glad you're making new friends." Matt hadn't even looked at anyone since they had sat down, he just kept staring at Cleo with his arm around her waist.

Cleo nodded. "You met anyone new Kaine?"

She shrugged. "I've only been here less than a day. I'll make new friends, I'm sure." When Cleo nodded again, she turned back to Matt, sucking on his face.

Tilla made eye contact with Kaine, rolling her eyes and mouthing profanities. Kaine snickered, starting up idle conversation with the rest of the group. She learnt that the elements that the flaming twins, Cleo and Circe, were given were Fire and Water respectively, which she thought was pretty suiting. After that, things turned to teachers and ones they liked and ones they didn't.

They walked back together, still talking, but Kaine's eyes looked toward the Nyx statues in the quad. She still felt a little uneasy; the image of the goddess was like something foreign.

She had even noticed that she had stopped, feeling her stomach turn. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked at Tilla. "Botany's over in the greenhouses, this way…" Kaine nodded, shaking herself internally as she followed her and Eden.

Kaine finished her classes up for the day with Interpretive Dance. After the day was over, she played video games in Eden and Tilla's room with Kimi while Cleo and Circe were in priestess training. The four chatted idly, talking about their human life and their beginning Vampyre lives, cute boys and such. The conversation continued at dinner.


	3. First Duel

The next day proceeded similarly, with Kaine settling into bed feeling at home, happy, and well fed, but an insistent uneasy feeling of being a stranger settling inside her. A week passed and nothing was much different than human high school.

She was leaving Sociology when Anmarie stopped Kimi and her, asking how they were adjusting. Kimi smiled and honestly said she was great, that being among the other fledglings was better than she could've ever hoped.

"And you, Kaine?" Anmarie smiled at her, then frowned seeing the conflicted look on her face. "You know what, I don't want to make you two late. Why don't you come by my office after classes today, I'm not giving any priestess training until later."

Kaine took a sobering breath and nodded. She didn't want to make Kimi worry about her. "Thanks. See you then."

As they walked, her roommate gave her a questioning look, but Kaine blew her off. She spent most of the rest of the day trying to put her feelings into coherent words to talk to Anmarie.

Then her last class came. The previous week in fencing, she had mostly sat on the side lines, watching some of the other students with more experience hash it out; she hadn't even picked up a foil. But, she was a bit stressed and more than up for hitting someone with a stick, and after she got a bit of instruction from Cleo and Tilla, she lined up for her turn at one of the mats.

The first bout, she won. And the second, and the third. She was barely breaking a sweat as she spent most of the period conquering. When she took a break, Cleo immediately asked how she was doing it.

Shrugging, Kaine downed half a water bottle. "I don't know, really. It's almost like the second I picked this thing up I was invincible, like I can read my opponents' thoughts."

Tilla nodded approvingly. "Well, that makes you a BAMF, I do believe. I feel like that with video games a lot."

Kaine rolled her eyes, but laughed, knowing her friend's ultimate gaming abilities. She was just about to make a smart comment when there was a tap on her shoulder.

It was a male, a tall, musclular male with a fifth former mark on his jacket. "I hear you think you're tough."

"I might be. Maybe I'm just damn lucky?" Kaine set the water bottle down, ignoring the glance her friends shared. "What's it to you princess?"

"I challenge you to a duel."

"Do you? I was thinking of calling it quits for today."

"Maybe everyone's just letting you win, since you're new. Don't you want to know?"

Kaine shrugged. "Not really. You looking for a fight? Feeling emasculated?"

He frowned, his brow furrowing with anger. "How about a wager then? If you lose, you're my bitch for the next month."

She frowned. "And if I win?"

"Then, you can say you beat me."

"That's hardly fair." He started to walk away. "But you're on."

As Kaine held the foil in her hand, she took a deep breath and assessed the older boy in front of her. She tried to be positive and not think about how Cleo and Tilla tried to talk her out of it. She also tried to not think about how they said he was a warrior in training, a star in the program. Andus was looking at her like she was crazy, which probably a correct diagnosis at this point.

Cracking her neck and pretending she was making up a strategy for herself, her opponent's thoughts entered her head. He was cocky, thinking of his impending victory and assuming that Kaine would either charge recklessly or freeze.

Kaine smirked under her mask and took a few careful steps toward him when the bout started. He looked taken aback but gave the first blow, anger filling the swing.

Everyone was amazed as she matched him, blow for blow. Her disadvantage was her lack of skill and strength, his was her knowing every move he was about to make. The whole class cheered when she beat him.

She could hear him about to make a move that she couldn't defend against, she swore in her head and begged for him to miss, to make a move she knew she could beat him after. Then he did, enacting the exact one she had in mind. He leaned in too close when she sidestepped his changed attack. She elbowed him in the jaw, sending him falling to ground, the foil flying out of his hand.

After she pressed the tip of the sword to his neck, she dropped it, turning and running to the locker room, hiding herself until everyone else had left. She wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

Tilla and Cleo were waiting on either side of the door. Tilla grabbed her hand as she exited the building. "Oh no you don't."

Cleo glanced at her. "Andus is waiting for you in Anmarie's office."

Kaine took a deep breath and nodded. "I-I… fuck."

"Hey, do you want me to come with you?" Tilla smiled at her encouragingly.

"Walk with me at least." Both nodded. As they walked, the two questioned her, but Kaine just kept shaking her head, feeling a bit like she was walking to the gallows.

She sat across from Anmarie at the desk, looking down. Anmarie smiled at her. "Kaine, don't look so sullen. What you did today was a great feat."

Kaine shook her head. "I don't know how it happened. I just… I just hoped and…"

Andus glanced at her, frowning. "I know that young man, I know you did not win on luck. Many of the other students you battled today are also very skilled."

"I don't know what happened, okay?" She said defensively. "It was like when I picked up that foil, I just kn-…"

"We're not accussing you of anything child." Anmarie reached toward her with a warm smile. "Just tell us how you were feeling. Andus thinks, well… he thinks you may have a gift for the foil."

"I don't!" Kaine stood, swatting the hand. "I practically cheated! It's like I knew exactly what each of them were thinking, the moves they were planning! A-And…" Her voice broke, as she registered the shocked, frightened, and impressed faces looking back at her. She sat down slowly. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize, Kaine." Anmarie frowned, glancing at a stone at the corner of her desk. "And what?"

"I made him change his last attack. I should've lost… but…" Kaine covered her face with her hands, groaning.

"Kaine, what you did, it sounds like you have a Goddess given gift." Andus walked over and touched her shoulder. She looked up at him. "It is my belief that you are meant to be a warrior. Go, Anmarie and I must convene with the Goddess and the Council."

She frowned but nodded, leaving without another word.


	4. The Headache

Kaine ignored her friends for the rest of the evening, only interacting with them when absolutely necessary. It was hard to completely ignore someone you share a room with, so she had to at least see Kimi. The two also shared the bathroom between their and the flamings' room, so she had to coordinate with them. At least she didn't have to deal with Eden and Tilla, though she was told the food was brought to her at their suggestion.

She laid in bed mostly, staring either at the ceiling or the inside of her eyelids. Very literally she didn't do anything. Breathed, ate when forced, showered, not much else. A few thoughts passed through her head.

_I can't be a warrior. I'm a chick, I have a vagina. In Vampyre culture girls were prophetesses and priestesses. We certainly don't get trained with swords. _It was during these small acts of effort that she rolled over and pressed her face into her pillow. _Besides, Nyx couldn't have given me a gift, not with the way I feel when I look at her._

Kimi eventually turned off the lights, double checked the blackout curtains, and glumly wished Kaine a good night, though it was day. As soon as the light was gone, Kaine was unconscious, falling into a dreamless sleep.

At noon, Kaine woke up with what seemed like a migraine, her head feeling like she was being stabbed repeatedly. She sat straight up, feeling as if a hundred people were talking to her at once. Glancing at Kimi, seeing that look on her face.

"Shit." Kaine shook her head, making it hurt worse. Cats, Kimi was dreaming of cats, and one of the many things that were going through Kaine's head. "Kimi!"

Kimi sat up, groggily, looking at Kaine. Worry became the most predominant thought in Kaine's head. If her head didn't hurt so much, she would've assumed it was because she was closest. Kimi saw the pained look on her roommate's face and got up, sitting next to the bed. "What's wrong? Kaine, what is it?"

Kaine buried her face in the crook of her friend's neck, holding the back of her head. "My head… it's like everyone's in it…" Kimi frowned, helping her up.

"To Anmarie we go."

Kaine couldn't make herself go up the steps at the back of the temple. Kimi set her next to the Nyx statue and went up the stairs. She knocked on the second door, the one to the high priestess's private room.

Kimi frowned at her when she came to the door in a robe. "Kaine… she woke up, her head…" Anmarie's frown increased.

"Where is she?"

"Downstairs, next to Nyx."

Anmarie pushed past her, heading down the stairs. She knelt down next to Kaine, touching her knee. Kaine has pulled herself into a tight ball.

"F-feels a little better in here."

Nodding, Anmarie put the back of her hand against Kaine's forehead. "You don't have a fever."

"Thoughts. Everyone's thoughts. Your thoughts." Kaine shook her head. "You're upset because you had just gotten asleep, and you're worried about me. You're also wondering if it's a good time to mention me and warrior training."

Anmarie took a deep breath. "Yes. Kaine, I think what you got yesterday was just a taste of your abilities."

Kaine groaned, curling up tighter.

"I think you feel better because you're far from most of the school, and Nyx's prescence is soothing." She groaned again, signaling that Anmarie was not helping. "You should stay here, at least for a while. Once you get a handle on this, I'm sure it won't be as painful child."

Kaine nodded. "Okay." Kimi sighed, hating how pitiful her friend sounded. "Go back to bed Kimi, I know you want to… once less voice so distinct in my head would help." Then Kimi was gone, promising in her head to go check on her later. Glancing at the High Priestess, Kaine frowned. "Can you leave me alone for a while too? And I will show up at warrior training if I feel up for it."

Anmarie left her alone. Kaine didn't glance up when her and Andus left several hours later. When they left, Kaine felt a little better, then a lot worse when her friends stopped by. "You brought all of them?" Then she chuckled, hearing them all mentally cursing her.

Kimi frowned. Circe walked over, after grabbing the blue prayer candle and a matchbook. "I'm not entirely sure what's happening to you, but maybe I can help."

Kaine glanced at her worriedly. Circe smiled at her encouragingly. She called upon water to sooth her friend and as soon as the candle was lit, Kaine felt so much better. She smiled, resting her head back against the statue with a moan. "Thanks Circe."

Circe hugged her. "Just thank it before blowing out the candle. We should get to class."

Eden scoffed. "Not before we give her some food." She walked over and set a styofoam container in front of Kaine. Smiling brightly, Kaine thanked them and shooed them.

Anmarie checked on her around lunch, but didn't wake her noticing that she had fallen asleep, sung to by the candle still burning next to her.

Kaine woke up and let go of Water not long before the last period of the day would start. She instantly regretted blowing out the candle and standing up as her head started to pound and her body started to sway. However, she made it to the gym for the warriors in training. Thankfully for her head, it was farther from the other gyms and the bulk of students.

Resting her head back against the outside wall, she heard a male voice through her ears and suddenly she was very thankful she had fallen asleep in her clothes the day before. "You okay there? I think you're in the wrong place."

Opening her eyes, she frowned slightly. She tried to focus on his thoughts, but there was nothing in her head coming from him. "No, I'm in the right place, just having a shitty day."

"This is the warrior building."

"Thanks for the conformation. I'm Kaine Macabre."

"Eos Siempre, so you're the one that beat our star warrior." He smiled at her, looking thoroughly impressed. Through the thoughts of others, she managed to take in his appearance. Tall-ish, round-ish, dark curly hair, dark eyes with thick glasses, his face was attractive enough though his expression and stance were both lazy and arrogant — much like her own. He was a fourth former, making him well older than her. "It's about time someone beat him off his high horse."

She snorted in amusement, then winced in pain as that put a lot of pressure in head. He frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just got an awesome new gift: minding reading. It hurts like a bitch having everyone's thoughts in my head." He frowned further. "Anyway, lets get this show on the road."


	5. Eos

He opened the door for her as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She sat down on one of the benches near what she assumed was a sparing ring. Andus glanced at her and opened his mouth.

"No, I'm not fine, my head hurts. And you and Anmarie are way too gushy romantic early in the morning." The warrior flushed and Kaine sighed. "I am so not up for moving today."

Andus nodded, then glanced at Eos. "I see you've met Eos." Kaine nodded as the boy sat next to her.

He waited for the others to arrive, sharpening a sword absently. Eos kept trying to talk to her, but she was blowing him off with good reason. When the other did arrive, Kaine recognized all them. The first, the douche she had beaten in fencing was scowling at her and thinking awful things about her.

"I heard that asshole." He jumped and scampered to the other side of the building.

The second was Cleo's boy thing Matt. No one had mentioned that he was a warrior. Last was the awkward boy she sat next to on the first day. She still had his textbook. He glanced at her, he recognized her and nodded, going to sit in a corner. Eos told her his name was Siegfried Dymitri. The boy was the same year as Kaine was and seemed to be jumpy. He had red-brown hair and dark blue eyes; he was lanky and didn't much look like a warrior.

Eos kept talking about the other warriors, but she couldn't listen. Her head was still pounding. Andus had started talking too. The boy beside her was a little shocked when she dropped her head on his shoulder, burying her face in against the sleeve of his shirt.

"H-Hey, you okay?" She managed to shake her head and he put an arm around her shoulders.

Barely, she managed to realize that Andus had stopped talking. His thoughts were still in her head.

"C-Can I go back to the temple?" She glanced at him, before he could ask if she could make it herself. "Probably not."

Her head hurt too much for her to realize that someone was helping her back to the temple. She didn't notice she was even moving until she was already at her destination. Looking up, she saw Eos and the temple.

"Hey, feeling any better?"

She nodded, staring at him dumbfounded. "Everyone else is just a dull murmur."

"And me/"

"I can't read you."

He frowned. "Well, I suppose that's good right now. I'm not adding to the noise in your head." Then he straightened up as if to leave. Kaine reached for his arm.

"I was alone all morning. Please stay, for a while at least."

They sat in silence for a while. "Wow… I said that I was alone all morning, so you sit there and say nothing."

"Oh… well, since your head hurts, I didn't think you would like more noise."

She snorted in amusement then winced in pain. "So, how'd you get into the warrior program?"

"Just good, swords and mixed martial arts. Not gifted just good." He glanced at her. "I assume you got in on mind reading?"

"Yeah… I'm not entirely sure but I think in combat, I can control my opponent." Smiling at him, she let her head rest against the statue again. "But it probably wouldn't work on you."

"Want to test it?"

"Head hurts too much. But definitely sometime."

"If this is Goddess given, I don't know if it'll ever go away Kaine."

Kaine glared at him, but sighed. "Way to be reassuring."

He chuckled, bumping her shoulder. "There's a ritual this Tuesday, pray to Nyx about it. She doesn't want her children to suffer."

Snorting, she shook her head. "Obviously not. I'm not sure I'll make it to Tuesday quite honestly."

He frowned, awkwardly wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I know this really quiet spot on campus, I'm sure it'd be quiet for your head too." With a slight nod, Kaine let Eos help her up and lead her to his secret grotto.

While walking, she kept her face buried on his arm. Eos shook her slightly when they stopped. "How's this on your head?"

She looked at the space then back at the main building with a smile. "Wonderful… We're far enough from the buildings… and the city. Everyone's just a dull roar." Then she looked up at him. "And it's gorgeous, though overgrown."

Eos smiled back at her. "Well, maybe we can just camp out here until the ritual."

They sat down, against one of the trees. Kaine texted her friends her whereabouts and begged for food. Eos idly talked to her, about her human life and his, and about fledgling life.

Not long after the end of classes, the girls showed up with food and their thoughts. Kaine thanked them and tried very, very hard not to listen to any of their heads. Unfortunately it wasn't enough. All of them were worrying about her, but each had something else on her mind. Circe and Cleo were thinking of their respective men. Eden was worrying about one of her classes. Tilla was thinking about Eden's eyes and the curve of her lips. Kimi was thinking of the cats that Kaine only realized were following her roommate.

"Oh… cats, joy." One of them hissed at her and another plopped down on her lap. "Kimi… How long have they been following you?"

She picked one up, petting it. "This one has been following me all day, stays the closest. The rest came and went after."

Kaine smiled, roughly shooing the one sitting on her. "You should go to Anmarie, I think you have an affinity to cats, and that one is likely your specific familiar."

"As soon as I know you're alright." Then she glanced at Eos, who Eden and Tilla were already staring him down. "Who is this?"

He stood up defensively and Kaine touched his leg. "Guys, this is Eos Siempre. He's a warrior and he's been keeping me company."

Circe raised her eyebrows. "So you've been reading his mind for a while?"

Kaine shook her head, smiling brightly. "I can't read him, so I've been able actually talk to him." Eos smiled at them, waving as she introduced each of the girls. Cleo and Circe left for priestess training and Kimi went with them. Eden and Tilla sat down with them, watching Kaine eat for a little bit before going back to meet the others for dinner. She talked them into taking Eos with them, since he needed to eat too.

She sighed and stared at the stars, wondering how she was going to get through the next few days, especially trying to sleep.


	6. Full Circle

To keep her mental sanity intact, Anmarie let her sleep in the temple and over the weekend she spent her waking hours in Eos's hiding spot. The girls' took turns sitting with her, bring card games, gossip and food. Eos stopped by when he could, which was quite a lot. He didn't say much when the girls were there, expect when Circe mentioned Kaine being her warrior.

Monday she spent most of alone, though Eos sat with her during lunch and Eden dropped her off food after Kaine mentioned via text the male hadn't thought of it. He also came back and forced her to go to warrior training. She sat there and watched the three physical warriors spar. Siegfried sat next to her, looking at a map with a pencil.

When he saw her watching him, he started explaining what he was doing and she chuckled, cutting him off.

"I know. I'm a mind reader," rubbed her forehead. "It's a little muffle under everything else, but I can still hear it."

He nodded, looking a little disturbed. "Right…"

"You have a gift for war stradegies. You're name's Sieg, right?"

"Siegfried, actually?" He kept staring at her like she was crazy.

Eos came over, chuckling. "Siegfried isn't used to many girls talking to him." Kaine smiled and shrugged.

"Shame, they're missing out. He's a little paranoid, but he's a great guy." She tapped her forehead, getting up to exchange a few words with Andus.

Later she went back to the gardens and skipped all her classes again. After the rest were done, Circe and Cleo came by with a female Kaine didn't know. A fifth former with a large mass of dark brown hair, large mass of body, but a pleasant glasses-clad face.

"Kaine, this is the-…"

"President of the Dark Daughters, since there haven't been any Priestesses-in-training." Kaine glanced at her again. "Serenity Quel, right?"

The girl nodded, dumbfounded for a second before smiling brightly. "As the president, it's my job to invite people into the club. We especially look for Fledglings with Goddess given gifts, like yourself, but we have normal students like myself!"

Kaine nodded. "To come to the after Circle? Run by students?"

"Yeppers! So, are you going to come?"

"We'll see. It'll depend on how my head fells in a crowd."

Serenity nodded and smiled. "I completely understand, but I hope you can make it. All your fellow warriors are going to be there, and you can bring a guest!" Then she waved enthusiastically and left.

Circe and Cleo both sat down with her until it was time for the monthly Full Moon Ritual. When they got there, the two girls dispersed, each behind their respective elements. Kaine sat next to Kimi with Eden and Tilla. The pain of everyone else's thoughts invading her head again came suddenly and she curled up next to her roommate.

The lights dimmed and Anmarie walked to the center of the Circle. She gave a few announcements about the school and the upcoming month. Then she went back into the shadows, as music started and four teachers with candle went to their respective points in the circle. Then Anmarie dance back in before starting calling the Elements.

She walked to the East and lit a match, welcoming Air to the circle with kind words and prayers of its continuing caress. Then she lit the wick and there was an explosion of yellow mist that by passed Anmarie and each member of the crowd sitting on the crowdm going straight for Tilla. It made her stand then put her hands out as if to receive a gift; it rested on her hands then moved to her chest, joining into her person. She took a deep breath, looking up to see the High Priestess (and everyone else) at her.

Anmarie motioned for her to sit down and moved onto the two elements that had already picked their vessels among the particular Fledglings in Baltimore.

When she got to Earth, she glanced at the group again then welcomed the element and asked it for strength. As the green candle was lit a similar green mist appeared, going to Kaine. Kaine was it was fascination, letting it surround her like a cocoon. As it faded, the noise in her head stopped, her thoughts the only ones she could hear. She looked at Kimi and heard her thoughts; she then thought to Sieg and heard his even though she couldn't see him. When she sat down she sent a "thank you" to Nyx and to her new protector, Earth.

The High Priestess was shooting silent curses at the Goddess as she moved to her warrior, with the purple candle. She again called the element, hoping for it to give the House guidance. A purple Spirit mist surrounded Kimi similarly to Kaine's green mist. Kimi beamed and sat back down as the ritual finished.

After the ritual, as they started to leave, Anmarie cleared her throat, causing the three girls with the newly appointed affinities to turn to her with grimaces. They walked toward her.

"I want to see each of you at Priestess training from now on."

Tilla and Kaine puffed out their cheek indignantly as Kimi shrugged, after already been deemed Priestess worthy due to her affinity towards felines.

"Anmarie!" Tilla whined, "I don't want to be a Priestess, I just want to play my piccolo and video games."

Rolling her eyes, and ignoring the senseless comment, she turned to Kaine.

"I'm already a warrior. Earth, it's not mine to control per say… but it's blocking the thoughts I don't want, only letting in people I want to read." Kaine sighed. "My head feels like mine for the first time in days."

Anmarie smiled, touching her shoulder gently. "I'm glad. I told you Nyx had a plan, would take care of her." Kaine nodded curtly.

"I haven't had a decent sleep in a while… I'm going to go to bed." Then she turned and left.

Serenity intercepted the other two as they walked out, forcing them to the Dark Daughter's meeting.

Kaine fell asleep without much effort, relishing the silence in her head. She didn't even wake up when Kimi came back, all giggly from the party. Despite the immediate unconsciousness, her sleep was fitful, plagued with awful dreams she wouldn't recall in the morning.


	7. More Gifts

Over the next week, things went better for her and her friends. The priestesses, which must to her dismay now included Tilla, were faring well with their studies; Circe was finding a specialty as using water as a mirror in spells, Cleo found herself with a gift for controlling actual fire, and Tilla was improving in her music and archery classes. Kaine had become really good friends with Sieg and Eos, sparing with them whenever she had the chance. Eden however was starting to feel strain on herself, since she didn't have anything at all to do with herself.

While the warriors and priestesses were all out, training, she saw a cat sleeping the common room she hadn't seen before, but ignored it as she fell asleep rewatching an episode of her favorite show.

She fell into a vivid, but phantasmic dream. A forest impossibly green with trees impossibly shaped. The cat sleeping near her was walking with her, meowing and huffing at her in annoyance. Eden was starting to share his sentiments until they came to a clearing, where a woman in Native American dress was sitting on a stump.

_"Hello Eden. I've been waiting." _Eden blinked at her stupidly as the cat walked over and rubbed against the woman's legs. _"You too Baghera."_

_"Me? You've been waiting for me?" _Eden was appalled by the strange echo-y nature of her voice as the cat came back to her. _"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"_

The woman laughed, the sound visibly coming out in colored shapes. _"Nothing gets past you. I'm glad I picked you, that the others found you."_

_"Picked me? Listen here lady, I don't kno-…" _Then Eden swore, recognizing the woman. _"Nyx."_

Smiling and walking over to her, Nyx nodded. _"Yes my child."_

_"I'm not special. I'm ill and I don't like being a Vampyre." _The cat seemingly glared at her for being so blunt with the Goddess.

_"I know, but it does not change your purpose or how much your friends need you."_

Snorting, Eden shook her head. _"Especially Kaine."_

The Goddess nodded, seriously. _"Yes, especially Miss Macabre. Things will be changing soon, and she'll need your gift."_

_"I don't have a gift."_

Nyx shook her head in disagreement, kissing the blue crescent on the pale girl's forehead. _"You didn't have a gift. But now, you have the gift to see what many others can't: the infinite web that connects people and places and events together. I also give you a gift of persuasion, though you've always been good at that."_

The cat whined at the Goddess and Eden looked at it, remembering Nyx calling him Baghera.

_"And a familiar." _Nyx touched her Mark again. _"But you must go, there is much to do and much for you find out before it all begins." _She was pushed away gently, falling in darkness until she fell onto the couch she fell asleep on.

Kaine's face was above hers, smiling. "Rise and shine sleeping beauty."

Eden frowned, pulling her down into a hug. "You… you're such a pain in the ass."

Laughing, she pried her off. "Come on, everyone's waiting on you for dinner. Get your lazy ass up."

Kicking Kaine's rear, Eden frowned at the back of the girl's head. "I have the lazy ass?"

When they got back after dinner, Kaine found a sword on her bed. The silver handle — hilt — was wrapped in leather for grip then a gold vine; crescents were etched onto it, around the emerald at the end. She pulled it out of the sheath; it had her name on it. Kimi came in, frowning at her.

"Who's that from?"

Kaine handed it to her roommate, Kimi dropped it, yelping. "What?" Picking it back up, Kaine looked at the other girl's hand. "It's burnt…"

"It hurts Sissy." Nodding, Kaine set down the sword and started dragging her to the infirmary. There was a gun shot across the hall from Tilla and Eden's room.

Kimi went on without Kaine, so the warrior could investigate, see if anyone else needed a doctor.

There was a hole in the window and a gun in Tilla's hand. Tilla glanced at her. "Oh… lookit, I got a new toy."

"Yeah. When I got back there was a cool sword on my bed…" Kaine held her hand out for the weapon. She took it with ease. "Odd, my sword burnt Kimi's hand when she picked up it."

"Huh… same with Eden and this."

"Oh, shut up, it was nothing." Eden came out of the bathroom with a self-bandaged hand. "How the hell are you holding it?"

Kaine shrugged, looking it over. "It has your name it… mine too."

"Really? Does you have the gem like mine?"

Looking at the bottom of the gun, at the magazine, Kaine saw a yellow gem. "Oh, yeah. Mine's green, imbedded in the hilt…"

Tilla took the gun, turning on the safety. "Who do you think they're from?"

Kaine shook her head, grimacing. "Whoever it is… we should just watch ourselves."

Both Tilla and Eden looked at her strangely as she left, sending a checkup text to Kimi before heading to bed.

Tilla and Kaine showed their weapons to Andus the next day. He didn't have much to say, not being able to touch them, except that they both seemed to be exceptionally well made. The girls exchanged a worried glance and buried them in their closets until further information could be obtained about them.

Things went a little longer without any problems, until Eos joked about Oaths at lunch. Circe smiled, practically laying on Kaine as they smiled at each other.

"I will be of course protecting my darling wife." Kaine kissed Circe's forehead, taking one of her hands. Eos raised an eyebrow at them. "We've been friends forever, I can't abandon her now!"

Giggling, Circe got off as Kaine knelt in front of her priestess.

"I, Kaine Macabre, promise to protect you from all that could harm you. Nothing will ever hurt you, Circe Parable, as long as I live, if you accept my oath."

"I accept your oath, Kaine."

Their Marks glowed and colored mist formed ribbons coming from their foreheads. Kaine's green mist and Circe's blue twisted together. The braid split and half went back into each.

They blinked at each other and Eos groaned, setting his head on the table. "Guys…"

"Miss Macabre? Miss Parable? Will you both please accompany me to my office?" Both turned to grimace at the High Priestess, where she came from so suddenly was unimportant. They kept their heads bowed as they walked behind her, Kaine squeezing Circe's hand in comfort.

Circe sat in the chair across from Anmarie, Kaine standing behind her protectively.

"What were you two thinking? Circe, you know very well that you can't accept an Oath."

"It's my fault, I guess, Priestess." Kaine said, rubbing her own little-Priestess's shoulders. "I assumed that it wouldn't take… the handbook says that a Fledging can't give an Oath…"

Sighing, Anmarie nodded. "It does say that… but in our world, there are many special cases, exceptions to rules like that, Kaine."

"Yeah… I just didn't think I was one."

"You're both on suspension. I want you both confined to your dorm rooms, except classes and training, for the month. And when you are allowed out, Circe does not leave campus without Kaine. Understand, both of you?"

They nodded. Anmarie let Circe go ahead, but lectured Kaine a little longer.

"Do you understand the danger you put yourself in?"

"I didn't think…"

"I know you didn't. Kaine, if she rejects the change, the physic pain you'd go through would cause you to reject the change too. As close as the two of you are, feelings she experiences, you will likely feel too!"

"Like an imprint, right?" Kaine sounded pitiful. "I get it. And I'm sorry. But there is nothing we can do, is there?

"No, you're right. Just, be careful."

"Yeah… Can I go?"

She didn't make it back to her classes.


	8. Remarked

When Kaine woke up in the infirmary, she was a little disoriented and lightheaded. Anmarie's gentle hand pushed her back down when she tried to sit up.

"One of the human custodians found you lying, covered in blood by the fountain. Do you remember what happened?" The priestess asked when the fledgling stared at her blankly.

Kaine closed her eyes tightly and she bit her lip. Then she felt sick to her stomach and almost didn't want to say the fragmented memories in her head. "A-A woman. She looked like a vampire out of fiction, fangs, red eyes, white skin…" Then she coughed and gagged. "I-I'm…" Anmarie grabbed a bucket for her to wretch into, rubbing her back.

"What did she do to you, Kaine?"

Her face filled with the almost all her remaining blood as she looked as far away from the woman as she could. "A lot of things. She said a lot too…"

Anmarie sighed, and it wasn't a good sigh or a supportive sigh, it was a fucking-god-no-why-is-this-happening-to-me sigh. Kaine looked at her, only to see her own face in a mirror and the blood ran from her face as quickly as it ran to it. "N-No…" The priestess nodded as Kaine touched her forehead, starting to cry.

"It was covered in so much blood when we brought you in. You've been out for almost two days." She held up a necklace with a silver boxed X pendent. "You were also wearing this. Did she give it to you?"

Nodding, Kaine looked at the ceiling. She heard Anmarie stand up from her chair. "I'm going to get you something to eat and talk to Nyx. I'll let everyone see you when your strength is back up." Kaine nodded again, closing her eyes.

When Anmarie made it back to her office, a semi-transparent Nyx was already waiting for her. _"You wished to speak to me?"_

Sighing, Anmarie pushed her frazzled hair out of her face and turned on her coffee pot. "Yeah. Kai-…"

_"Yes, Kaine Macabre. Quite a remarkable fledgling, isn't she?"_ Nyx smiled sadly to herself. _"What about her, child?"_

"You don't know about her getting attacked? Do y-…" Nyx put a finger over the priestess's mouth before she started full out yelling. Anmarie crossed her arms as the goddess poured her a cup of coffee.

_"Yes, I knew. I knew it was going to happen since the day Circe Parable was Marked, and had my suspicions long before. I had accepted her fate by the time Kimi Cookie was Marked."_ Nyx seemed so collected, calm and all Anmarie wanted to do was scream.

"A-Are the others… are they safe?" But she whispered.

_"No. But they are not to become like Kaine. Circe Parable, Cleopatra Darth, Tilla Ceol, and Kimi Cookie were chosen by the same person as Kaine."_

"And Eden?"

Nyx smiled fondly_. "Eden Anastasia was of my choosing: she is cold but also very kind when it is needed of her."_

Anmarie held up the necklace she had taken from Kaine. "I found this on her." Nyx took it with a slight scowl.

_"Yes, the mark of a fellow deity, she is also a goddess of the night. Your people created themselves in mimic of her, and when she refused your worship I took over as your patron goddess. A few times she has put a one of her own among you."_

"And Kaine is one of those, with th-…"

_"Yes. Kaine knows to whom her loyalties lay. She has always known. But, I still consider her one of my own, though she was only mine for a short period of time."_

Anmarie nodded and told her to wait, since she had to get Kaine some food.

When the priestess returned to the infirmary, Kaine was on the floor in a small pool of blood. She set the tray onto a bed as she ran over, pulling the girl up and looking at her wrists to see evidence of clawing on her wrists and fingernails. "No… Kaine! Kaine, come on you annoying bitch."

"Give her some blood." A smooth but malicious voice said from behind them. Anmarie turned to see the woman Kaine described standing there with a smirk for the ages. "And give her the necklace back; it'll keep her connected to me."

"Who are you?"

"Kaine's Goddess. Are you going to let her die? If she dies now, it'll be on you." Anmarie moved Kaine back to the bed, slipping the chain back around her neck then running out for some blood.

When she came back in, Kaine's wrists were bandaged but there were two small holes in her neck. Anmarie swore as she forced some blood down the fledgling's throat.

Kaine woke up a few minutes after Anmarie had finished force feeding her the blood. She looked at her. "Why couldn't you just…"

Anmarie sighed, touching Kaine's forehead. "You're going to be alright, you know. This makes you special."

"Special?" Kaine pulled away, scoffing. "I'm a fucking freak, I already was and now this… she couldn't just mind her own damned business…"

"Are you speaking of your goddess?" Kaine glared at her. "I talked to Nyx, she says you know quite a bit more than you've lead on."

"I didn't know." She rested back, sounding tired. "I thought I made her up, you know. But then I saw her and suddenly everything made sense. She destroys everything she touches."

"She came here, told me how to save your life."

Snorting in grim amusement, Kaine glanced at the priestess. "What use am I to her if I died now?"

Anmarie grimaced and got the tray of food. "You hungry?"

Kaine almost smiled. "Always."

"If I leave you alone for a little bit, can you promise not to kill yourself?"

She nodded, digging into the food.

When she finished her meal, she rolled over to get some more rest. As she fell asleep she found herself in a forest.

Smiling to herself, she touched the trees as she walked. She felt at home among them, which she assumed at something to do with her almost affinity to Earth. When she came to a clearing she found a woman singing in not-English.

"_Native American?_" Kaine guessed aloud. Nyx turned to smile at her, but Kaine frowned as she moved to turn away.

Nyx removed all other paths, leaving only the clearing. "_Kaine. Please, I wish to speak with you, my child._"

Kaine scoffed. "_I'm not your child._"

Nyx touched her forehead. "_This may have changed, but you are still under my care, in my House. I still love you as my own. Kaine Macabre, Xia has been begging me to Mark you since that first day you met Circe, starting the formation of an unbreakable bond you two have now completed._"

She pulled away, her forehead stinging at the first mention of her goddess's name since being Marked. "_Remind me of another fuck up. Are all my friends here because of me? Did she ask you to Mark them too!?_"

Nyx nodded and Kaine fell to the ground, wishing she hadn't asked for conformation as the guilt over whelmed her. "_What does she want with us?_"

"_I do not know, but I will help when I can. Your gifts, Cleo, Tilla, Kimi, Circe, were picked by Xia. Eden's were from me. Through her, I shall help you on whatever path Xia has pushed you onto._"

Kaine pulled her knees to her chest. "_What do I do?_"

"_Keep training, keep protecting them. Answer Xia's calls. And please try to stay out of trouble._" Nyx touched her shoulder.

"_What, so nothing's changed then?_" The fledging looked up at the goddess with pleading eyes.

"_No, so much has changed. You're not the same as other fledglings._" Kaine blew a breath out her nose and mumbled something. "_The sun will have no effect on you. Your gifts from Xia should be stronger. You'll need blood, Kaine; you'll yearn for it constantly, especially human blood. You can't Imprint with fledglings still, but if you drink a single drop from a human or vampyre, you will Imprint with them._"

"_And if I broke the Imprint?_"

"_They'd die, period._"

Kaine bit her lip. "_Great. Fucking great._"

"_Shh, I believe in your self-control. You should too._" Nyx then kissed her forehead and she opened her eyes to see Kimi staring down at her in the waking world.


	9. First Down

Kimi gave a relieved sigh, seeing her roommate wake up. "You were making awful noises, thought you might not wake up…"

Kaine gave her a sad half-smile. "Thought about it."

"Glad it was just a thought then." Kaine noticed her roommate was avoiding looking any higher than her nose. "We were all so worried when they told us what happened… well not everything…"

"Anmarie didn't let you guys come see me." It was a simple fact, not a question or an accusation.

"Yeah… said she wanted to know exactly what happened, you were stable so…"

"Its fine, Kimi." She sat up slightly, seeing a food tray near her bed.

Kimi followed her eyes. "Anmarie says I can take you back to the dorms once you get some food in you, if you're up to it."

Kaine nodded. "Can you bring it over here?"

Nodding in return, Kimi set it on her best friend's lap as she sat next to her on the bed. "H-How does it feel?"

"It doesn't really feel different… But Nyx said that I am … I suppose _she _did too…" She took a slight breath. "I can sort of feel the Mark though… How's it changed… flipped the other way."

"Mirror." Kaine looked up when Kimi took the pendent into her hand. "So, she is real then?"

"Yeah, she is. I'm sorry… this is all my f-…"

Shushing her, the older girl shook her head as she ran her finger through her friend's hair. "It's not, sissy. It's Xia's fault. You think the rest are real?"

Shrugging, the warrior went back to eating, mumbling something along the lines of "I hope not."

Anmarie came in just as Kaine was finishing up her food. She set a glass filled with red liquid, which Kimi was looking at disgustedly, onto the tray. "If you finish this, you can go back to your room."

Rolling her eyes, Kaine stared at the glass. "I'm **fine**, I don't need it."

"You lost a lot of blood, Miss Macabre."

"And you already forced half of it back in me."

"And you still look as pale as a ghost."

Closing her eyes, Kaine took a few breaths out of her mouth because the scent was intoxicating and she was sure if she smelled it, she'd attack the glass like a wild animal.

"Sure looks like you want to drink it, Kaine."

Kimi spoke up. "Is that blood? Kaine's just a third fo-…"

"I'm not like you and the others anymore, Kimi." She glanced at Anmarie and caved at the stern glare. Picking up the glass, she originally planned to sip it slowly, but ended up chugging so fast she almost choked.

Anmarie and Kimi were both looking at her bizarrely. Anmarie cleared her throat. "I'll get a mini fridge and some blood in your room as soon as I can. Go ahead and get home." As the Priestess left, Kimi gave her roommate some clean clothes and pulled the curtain.

When they got outside, the normal Fledgling squinted in the dimmed sunlight, pulling up her hood and sliding on her sunglasses. The Mirror looked up at the overcast sky with a smile, loving seeing the sun again after months of darkness. "I think I may start tanning." Kimi pushed her gently as she chuckled.

Kimi settled into bed. "Shouldn't you be getting some sleep too?"

Kaine shrugged. "I don't think I'm going to class tomorrow… w-what day is it?"

Frowning, Kimi rolled over. She was exhausted after having to act serious for her roommate's benefit.

The next morning, evening-wake up, when Circe walked into the bathroom, she squeaked in surprise. Kaine moved her focus from her reflection to her priestess. "Hey."

Circe hugged her suddenly, tightly, sending Kaine stumbling back slightly. Then the Priestess-to-be slapped her. "You've been gone for three days and you say 'hey'?"

"Ow… that hurt." Kaine nursed her cheek slightly, looking back at the mirror. "That's gonna leave a mark."

"Speaking of Marks…" Circe forced Kaine to look at her. "What happened to yours?"

"Xia happened." She nuzzled into her priestess when she was hugged again. "I'm still going to protect you."

"And who is going to protect you, stupid?"

Cleo came in, rubbing her eyes. "Circe, who are you ta-… Kaine. Welcome back." She beamed at her before running out to get the two across the hall.

Tilla had a similar reaction as Circe and Kaine was relieved to know all her friends were glad to know she was safe, but they were all being a bit ridiculous. She noticed Eden looking knowingly annoyed, but shooed them all off to class.

After she finally got them all out, she lay down, getting the sleep she neglected.

A few hours later she woke up to the sound of her door opening. She opened her eyes slightly, assuming it someone force feeding her cold cafeteria food.

"Skipping class?" Kaine sat straight up and fumbled for her sword upon hearing the voice. "Tsk tsk my dear."

"Stay away from me."

Xia put her finger on the tip of the sword and moved it out of her face. "You going to stab me, Kaine?" The goddess smirked at the girl's terrified face. "I gave you so many beautiful gifts, and you treat me like this?"

"What you did was not a gift." Kaine said coldly. "I almost died."

She grimaced and nodded indecisively, attempting to decide if the mortal had a point. Walking closer and smacking the sword out of the Kaine's hand, Xia touched Kaine's new Mark. "Had you kept the old one, you would have rejected the Change. That type of Vampyre and you are not compatible. I did you a kindness."

Kaine flinched at the touch, a jolt of echo pain shooting through her body. "Why?"

"A normal fledgling cannot withstand the strain the gifts and trials put on you. Do you remember the pain of the mind reading before Earth chose you?" Xia sat next to her on the bed. "You should not be sleeping. Practicing, combing the library, canvasing the city, getting laid, anything else really; there is much to do."

Grumbling something about priorities, Kaine scooted farther away. "What would I even be looking for?"

"The darkness, of course. Always a darkness. Very few truly bad things are light, and those that are, are the worst of them all."

Looking at Xia smugly, she rolled her eyes. "Well, there's a bit of evil sitting right in front of me."

"Well, yes, but I'm currently not threatening the safety of the general planet, am I?" Smiling at her brightly, she pecked a kiss on Kaine's lips and got up.

"Are you?"

Shrugging the goddess left. Kaine got up and looked up and down the hall. Xia was nowhere to be seen.

She forced herself to get dressed, strapping her sword onto her belt, and after doubling checking the day, she headed to warrior training.

When she walked in she noticed something was off. Counting heads, she noted a missing Matt, Cleo's almost boyfriend. Eos spotted her before the rest and walked over. She looked him sadly and spoke before he could get a word out. "He rejected the Change?"

"Yeah…"

"Has anyone told Cleo yet?"

"She was there, Kaine. It happened at lunch."

Kaine punched the closest solid object, which happened to be Siegfried.

"Ow…" Sieg massaged his slowly bruising shoulder. "You al-… what happened to your Mark?"

Glaring at him, Kaine sent the timid boy away. "How is she doing?"

"According to Tilla, she's been crying over his body in the infirmary since. Circe's with her."

Sighing and nodding, Kaine smiled slightly. "Circe would be." She looked past him to Andus. "Our house doesn't lose a lot of fledglings… why now…"

"Kaine? Calm down, you've been through a lot lately, let's not…" Eos sighed. "Let's go and talk in our secret spot."

Andus shouted to them as they left. Kaine motioned at him, indicating she knew. "Yeah, yeah. As often as she asks for me, you'd think she had a crush on me."

Eos chuckled. "Yeah, but you're too high maintenance for her."


	10. The Big Bad Book of Things

Eos wasn't entirely sure how Kaine had convinced him to go to the semi-crowded library, but he knew he had no idea what the hell he was looking for and Kaine looked pretty adamant in her search.

On a whim, he pulled a very old looking, but somehow still together, manuscript. The book wasn't in English or any language he recognized. It looked pretty reminiscent of Tolkien's elfish. As he flipped through it, the pictures were pretty clear however. He took it over to Kaine, after he was sufficiently creeped out by the illustrations.

"This may be pretty useless… but, I think this is what you're looking for." He held it out to her, open to a picture of a Mirror being marked. Kaine looked sick as she took the book.

"What do you mean useless?" She was staring at the page, pain starting to take over the nausea.

"It's in some weird language…"

"No, it's not…" Kaine glared up at him. "I can read it per-… fuck." She closed it a little more harshly than necessary. "Let's get out of here."

Eos followed, attempting to ask questions, but gave up when he noticed she was ignoring him. She stopped just outside the girls' dorm. He pulled her around to face him, cupping her cheek.

"What's up with you? I'm worried about you." He smiled down at her sadly.

Sighing, she attempted to pull away, but he gently kept her looking at him. "Look at me Eos, I'm different… and now this dumb book…"

"Kaine, did that… in that book, did that happened to you?" She paled and tried pulling away from him. He was having none of that and pressed his lips to hers. Dropping the book from shock, Kaine leaned into the kiss with a slightly desperate groan. When he pulled back he was rubbing her cheek. "I don't care if you're different… I still want you. I'll protect you."

Nodding dumbfounded, she picked up the book and pointed at the door. "I need to go do a thing… talk to Tilla."

He chuckled and gave her a quick peck before walking away. Kaine wasn't sure why it was Tilla she had to talk to, but she knew that kiss was unexpected and perfect.

Eden and Tilla were sitting on the floor in front of their mini-flat screen, gaming. Kaine rolled her eyes as they both acknowledged her without looking at her. They both turned to her as a cutscene started. Tilla looked devasted and Kaine assumed her character died and Eden's beat the boss. Eden's eyes went to the book, seemingly examining it.

Rolling her eyes, Kaine handed it over and sat on her bed, rubbing her face. Tilla moved next to her. "What's up, weirdo?"

"Eos found that book, looking at it… I needed to talk to you."

"Me? Why me?"

Eden handed the book back. "Why'd you bring this fucking thing? It's not English."

Opening it up, Tilla skimmed it over. "Well I think you're stupid. I can read it."

"No, Eos couldn't read it either." Kaine sighed, rubbing her neck. "I can, and you can... I don't know Tilla…"

"That's weird. You two just up and know a freaky language when neither of you speak English all that well?" Both girls glared at Eden, who rolled her eyes as she took her cat and went downstairs.

"She has a point though Kaine…" Tilla flipped through the book. "I mean, you I get, but me? Sure I've got Air and a weird familiar… but I'm a pretty normal fledgling, right?"

"Familiar? Wh-…"

Tilla whistled and a small fox crawled out from under Eden's bed and barked happily while she ran to Tilla. "Kaine, met Dagda, Dagda Kaine." The fledgling put the animal on her friend's lap.

Kaine petted it, looking rather nervous. "Tilla, I don't know if you know this, but this is a canine…"

Chuckling, Tilla hugged the fox to her chest. "That's why she's a little weirdo! Anmarie asked me if I wasn't sure it was yours."

Kaine stood up suddenly. "Fuck… I was supposed to go see her…"

"What else is new? Want the book?"

"Nah, you read over it for a while…" Then Kaine was heading out. Eden noticed her leave and went back up to her room, feeling like she had been avoiding the Mirror.

Tilla still had the book open in her lap. She was looking in horror at a page. Eden sat next to her, understanding her horror. "What does the text say?"

Shaking her head with tears in her eyes. "You don't want to know, Eden." Rubbing her back, Eden encouraged her to read it. " 'The transformation into a Mirror is very painful, especially to those previously Marked as children of Nyx. It is done directly by the Goddess Xia; she cut the forehead, making the shape of the crescent, and covers any previous Marks thoroughly. She then takes the fledgling's blood as her own and puts the child into a slumber. During the sleep, the painful process of a partial Change occurs, causing the Mirror to have fitful dreams. The dreams are usually prophecies that will not be able to later be recalled, along with knowledge of pain within the soul due to various things, such as physic torture. Upon waking, the new Mirror will be at unease due to lingering dreams, in pain due to the physical changes, and very hungry for blood. Many die shortly after, due to neglecting their needs as a Mirror Fledgling'…"

"Kaine is fucking fucked." Eden said simply, taking the book away from Tilla.

"She's going to be fine! She's super tough!" Tilla didn't believe it herself. "You're right; she's just a tough outer shell… all gooey inside."

"Of course, I'm always right." Eden grimaced, looking away. She knew something wasn't right, and might've known what if she hadn't been ignoring her Goddess-given gifts. "Let's see if we can get to the final boss today, huh? Then we can give Kaine a big ol' hug when she gets back, eh?" Of course Tilla couldn't pass up a chance to level-grind.

When Kaine entered the temple, she saw the two priestesses and sighed, walking over to them. Cleo was curled up in a ball, sitting between a lit blue and red candle; Circe was calmly rubbing her back, not saying anything. The Mirror grabbed a match and a green candle before sitting down with them. Circe smiled at her and Cleo arbitrarily acknowledged her.

"Earth, come and comfort my friend alongside your sisters Fire and Water, please. Give her strength to carry on after the loss of a loved one, but also solidify his memory in her heart. Take him back into you gently. Please, help Cleo." The scent of freshly dug earth and newly mowed grass settled in with the scents of the ocean and a well-tended fire.

Both smiled at her. Circe rubbed her arm. "That was beautiful Kaine." Cleo then frowned slightly. "You didn't even like him."

Shrugging, Kaine stood up. "True, but he was a good warrior, and he cared for you deeply."

"Thank you, Kaine."

"Yep, this weekend, I was thinking of sneaking out and getting some retail therapy?"

Circe groaned. "We're grounded."

The warrior smirked and went upstairs, hearing both girls think that she was probably in more trouble. She agreed with their assumptions and barged into Anmarie's office.

Her stomach dropped when she saw Nyx and Xia sitting on opposite sides of the room and a very frazzled High Priestess. Kaine was in big trouble, extremely big trouble.


	11. Fragile Souls

Anmarie walked over to the girl, whispering in her ear. "They won't leave, and they keep bickering like a married couple, I feel like a marriage counselor."

Kaine glanced at the Goddesses. "They're celestial beings: they can hear you."

"Just help me."

Rolling her eyes the fledgling looked at Nyx, with a smile. "What did you need from me?"

They both sighed, speaking in unison. "I just wanted to talk to Anmarie and then _she _showed up."

Kaine nodded a few times, looking very done. "What did you need to speak to her about?"

"You."

"Then how is that not wanting something from me?"

Both of them shrugged and continued glaring at each other. Kaine pinched the bridge of her nose as she glanced at Anmarie.

"I think you're on your own like this." When Anmarie looked like the Warrior-ess had just threatened to shove her in a tank of unfed sharks, Kaine sighed and turned back to the pair of Goddesses. "Alright, Nyx, what did you need to speak to Anmarie about?"

"_I wished to warn her impending danger to you, her, and the entire city that Xia has brought."_

"Okay, well, I'll let Anmarie take care of impending doom…" She then turned to Xia. "And you?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the book, but you didn't have the book when I showed up."

Kaine frowned. The book. The book that she left Tilla and Eden. "W-What book?"

Xia got up as Anmarie and Nyx were looking at the teen suspiciously. She took Kaine's arm and led her downstairs and outside. Kaine struggled until they got down the stairs, then was very glad when she saw Cleo and Circe had left.

"So, what do you think of the book so far?" Xia asked as she leaned against the tall concrete wall that separated the House of Night from the City of Baltimore.

Kaine stared at her, shaking her head. "Why can only I read it?"

"It's the divine language. Every God can choose one mortal soul to read it." Xia smiled. "Many of us choose not to because we forget that speaking it to many of you would make your mortal body explode."

"And Nyx chose Tilla. I thought Eden was her errand girl!" Kaine rubbed her neck.

"No. Only your mortal soul has the ability currently, were it whole, it would be strong enough to maintain the vessel upon hearing or speaking it."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a chapter about souls in the book. You should go read it." Planting a peck on Kaine's lips, Xia somehow swung over the wall, disappearing.

Groaning, the fledging walked back to her dorm. The book was back on her desk and Kimi was glancing at it like it was swearing at her. Kaine opened it, scanning the first few pages, grimacing at the warnings and some of the titles listed in the table of contents.

Kimi was now staring at Kaine like she had grown a tree out of her head. "Kaine…"

Looking at her roommate, the Mirror frowned. "What's wrong Kimi-Kimi?"

"What is that book?"

"I-It's… it's like… from Xia. I'm supposed to read it." She took a shaky breath. "According to her… Only I can read it currently… b-but Tilla…"

"Y-Yeah… her and Eden showed us the one page…"

Kaine paled. "The page about w-what happened to me?" Kimi nodded and the Mirror went back to the book.

After reading the section on mortal souls, she shut the book and glanced at Kimi. "H-Hey, come here for a second." Giving her a weird look, the normal fledgling walked over as Kaine held up her hand.

"What are…" She put her hand, fingers closed, flat up against Kaine's hand, locking her fingers so Kaine couldn't flex her own. "What?"

Nodding slightly, Kaine got up without explanation, going through the bathroom to Cleo and Circe room. She walked up to her Priestess and held out her hand. As Circe stared at her in confusion, she reached out and separated Kaine's pinky with her own in a promise.

Again Kaine left without any words and burst into Tilla and Eden's room. She held her hand out to Tilla, like she had before. Tilla grasped Kaine's hand, without intertwining their fingers. Kaine took a few deep breaths. "Well… that explains a lot."

Using the hand hold as leverage, she pulled Tilla up and led her down and outside behind the dorms.

"Kaine, what the hell are you doing?" Tilla demanded, taking her hand back.

"Testing." Kaine rubbed her hand and stared into space. "You and I are the only people that can read that book, on this whole planet."

"What?! That's impossible!"

Kaine shook her head. "What I was testing is soul connections."

"What?"

"Mortal souls are flexible, but can't be broken. There are people that can cut them though…" Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Ours was cut."

"Cut? Ours? What?"

"There's a part I read… Xia told me to… It explains all the ways souls can be connected. There's twins, mates, bonds, supporters, and what we are, literally two halves of a whole."

"I still don't understand."

"Xia and Nyx keep telling me I'm strong, but I'm not as strong as I truly am because I'm only a part!" Kaine threw her hands up and took Tilla's shoulders. "You get it, I can see it in your head."

Tilla frowned. "Damn mind reader."

"Kimi makes our soul stronger with hers… and we're bonded to Circe, who has an identical soul as Cleo, and I'm not really sure ho-… oh, that's how huh?"

Blushing, she pulled away. "It's a little crush. Don't go jumping to conclusions that her and I are soulmates or something dumb." Punching Kaine weakly, she sighed. "How is Cleo and Circe's situation different than ours?"

"They're just the same at the unchangeable core… or something… you and I, we're different because we're two halves. A-and if one of dies, apparently, if we let it, we get the other half."

Paling, Tilla shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"It was unclear about that…" Kaine sighed. "Are you going to tell her, Eden?"

"No! I mean, if we're two halves of a whole, it wouldn't mean much now…" She sighed too. "What are you going to do?"

Kaine shrugged, walking off to the males' dorms.


	12. Needs, Ignored

Tilla groaned and went back upstairs, she laid on her bed, mumbling about killing Kaine. Eden chuckled, reclining back, petting her cat with one hand and holding a book above her head with the other. Baghera bit her and when she looked over it was not her cat that she saw but Nyx. "You had to have my cat bite me to talk to me?" Eden sat up, though she knew it was just happening in her head. "He asked me to speak with you." Nyx replied sitting next to her the bed. "He's worried you've been neglecting your responsibilities." Eden grimaced. "Fair enough." Nyx put her hand on the fledgling's shoulder and nodded at Tilla's form across the room, frozen due to Eden's righteous hallucination. Eden looked at her with a loving smile, but then frowned as she thought of Kaine. Sighing the Goddess, squeezed slightly. "You know what she is to you, Eden. Why must you deny your gifts?" "I don't want any of this!" Eden stood up, yelling at the Goddess frantically. "I don't want to have to choose between Tilla and Kaine; I don't want to have to see into everyone's lives!" Nyx reached out to her as Eden fell to her knees, crying. "I-I don't want to have to -…" Eden couldn't hear the last word she said as her ears started ringing. Tilla was now very concerned about her supposed soulmate, she hadn't responded for almost two minutes now. She looked over at her seeing her crying. She lept up, unwittingly hurting herself, and knelt at her roommate's bed. "Eden?" Eden sat up, wiping her tears as she looked at Tilla. "Oh… h-hey…" "Why are you crying?" Shaking her head, Eden pushed herself away. "N-Nothing… Nyx just chewing me out again." "Well made if you just used your gift, helped up out…" Tilla looked away when Eden glared at her. "Kaine's mentioned you have an amazing gift." "How would she know? Big bad warrior, mind reader?" Eden was now yelling at Tilla. "Yeah." Eden sat back down on her bed, shaking her head but saying nothing. Tilla said her name a few times before she went back to her bed and pulled out DS. Both were resigned to let the other speak first. Kaine was a little flustered as she walked into the boys' dorms for the first time. There weren't any rules or curfews, why should there be — Vampyres were infertile, but Eos and Seig had always come over to the girls' dorm when the lot of them hung out. She wasn't sure where Eos' room was, but she asked a male that she recognized from one of her classes. When she got upstairs, she stopped at the door. She had to collect herself. Maybe it was too soon to be knocking at his door. Maybe it made her look needy. Then she groaned, because she was needy, desperately so. The door opened before she could knock. Eos raised an eyebrow at her. "Took you long enough." Kaine chuckled nervously then coughed. Before she could get a word out, Eos was pulling her in by the neck for a kiss. She returned it eagerly, pushing him gently into the room, struggling to shut the door behind them. Eos pushed her against it, moving his hands to her waist. Kaine groaned against his lips, allowing his tongue entrance as her hands moved into his curly mop of hair and pulled him closer. They broke apart when there was a nervous throat clearing behind them. Kaine looked past Eos and saw Siegfried getting up. "I-I'm… l-leaving…" Nodding, Kaine and Eos separated further, each going on opposite sides of the door. Once Sieg left, they sat on Eos' bed with their hands interlocked tightly. They sat in silence, annoying Kaine. With anyone else, she'd read their mind and answer the question. "Tell me what you're thinking." He said it first, glancing at her. She frowned, squeezing his hand tighter. "How annoying it is that I don't know what you're thinking." Laughing, he pulled their hands up and kissed her fingers. "Maybe I'll keep it that way." Kaine started to pull her hand away. "Stop frowning. You're so much prettier when you smile." "My attractiveness isn't on my list of things I current care about, especially now." Eos took her cheek in his free hand. "I still hate seeing you frown. I don't want you to be anything but happy." "You're such a fucking sap." All the same she pressed her face into his hand. "I bet you use these lines on all the girls." He chuckled, kissed her Mark. She grimaced, pulling away. Sighing, Eos released her. "Now I know what you're thinking." Kaine looked at him, still frowning, on the verge of tears. "I don't care about the Mark Kaine. Even if you didn't have one, I'd still love you." Her eyes widened at his words. "You what?" "I love you. I love you Kaine." She stopped breathing, taking her face into her hands. She was supposed to love Eden. Eden was her fucking soulmate for gods' sake. No… Eden was her –and- Tilla's soulmate, more Tilla's than hers. Right now, there was nothing Kaine could expect from Eden. "Kaine? I'm sorry…" He touched her shoulder lightly. She shook her head, kissing him sweetly. "No, it's okay… I love you too… I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too." Smiling against her lips, Eos continued the kiss, pulling her on top of him. After the second morning Kaine woke up in Eos's room, in his bed, she rolled and nuzzled her face into his neck. He was still sleeping, but she didn't mind. She liked watching him sleep. Her fingers trailed over his vein and he shivered, her mouth started watering as she felt his pulse. "N-No…" She pulled her hand back and fell off the bed with a thump. Eos got out of bed and looked down at her. "Kaine?" When she didn't look up at him, he sighed and crawled onto the floor with her. He reached out to pull her hands away from her, one from her chest the other from her face. Kaine pulled away and he grabbed her. "Look at me, are you okay?" Shaking her head, she stood up, gathering her clothes. "No… I don't want to hurt you." Before he could catch her again, she had on enough of her clothes that she was leaving. Eos tried chasing after her, but she was gone. Kimi was up, sort of. "Aren't you grounded?" She asked her roommate, not looking up at her. Kaine didn't reply, rushing to the mini fridge. "W-We're out?" She curled up in a ball, digging her nails into her legs. Kimi sighed, kneeling down in front of her. "What happened?" "I could've killed him." Rolling her eyes, the older girl shook Kaine's shoulders. "No, you didn't. If you asked him, I'm sure he'd let you drink from him. You need blood, right Kaine?" As she got up, Kaine grimaced. "I wish I didn't, not yet. I'm going to get a shower. I promised Cleo and Circe a shopping trip." "Can I come?" "Yeah… yeah, if you want." Then Kaine was disappearing into the bathroom. 


End file.
